The therapeutic and cosmetic effects of exposing a person's body to sunlight are well known. Sunlight, for example, is an important source of a body's ability to produce Vitamin D. Currently, millions of people in the world suffer from various diseases or conditions that may be exacerbated by lack of adequate exposure to sunlight, or ameliorated by additional exposure to sunlight. These conditions may include diabetes, elevated blood pressure, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, osteomalacia, osteoporosis, psoriasis, rickets, seasonal affective disorder, tooth decay, tuberculosis and cancer. However, due to seasonal changes or weather conditions, the benefits of sunlight are not always available.
Several methods have been used to increase our exposure to light such as, for example, using artificial UV rays in tanning salons or using transparent clothing garments outdoors that allow natural sun light to penetrate the garment in cold/cool seasons while still providing thermal protection against the cold. Other garments like rain coats or similar PVC or plastic garments that are slightly transparent are available, but they are not made specifically to allow ultraviolet rays to penetrate the outer layer in order to maximize health benefits.
The benefits of body sweating have also been explored, for example, for detoxification and weight loss purposes, improved absorption of vitamin D and lowering of blood pressure. The most widely used methods to stimulate body sweating has been through physical activity or use of clothing garments that facilitate sweating such as layered reducing garment and sweat suits. These garments trap body heat and block wind creating a sauna effect to facilitate weight loss. However, these garments are opaque and are not useful for tanning purposes.
Current health suits do not adequately provide health and tanning benefits to a user at the same time. Therefore, a garment that can effectively stimulate body sweating and tanning for a user at the same time would be desirable. The positive effects of the sun exposure and of the sweating may be found to be amplified by the combination of the two effects in the health suit described herein. For example, a wearer may lose weight as its body works to cool itself. The increased body heat from the tanning aspects of the health suit may further increase a wearer's heart rate, thus increasing cardiac output and also metabolic rates. Consequently a wearer may then burn additional calories increasing the health effects sought through the sweating aspects. Further, a wearer may have health benefit from vitamin D absorption from sunlight. The increase in skin pore openings or improved blood circulation that may result from the sweating aspects of the health suit may improve the tanning aspects of the suit as well, further increasing a wearer's ability to absorb vitamin D more effectively and enhance melanin production and skin pigmentation through the wearer's increased pore openings.